The Path of Luminism

Luminism is a modern philosophy and religion of reason, compassion, and moral clarity. It teaches that goodness stands on its own… not on dogma, not on fear, and never on threat of divine punishment.

Tag: universe

  • Jesi Saga 12 of 13: The Sky is Falling!

    [1]It has been over a year since the god, Jesi, revealed himself to my village.

    While out recruiting followers interested in relocating to one of the fortress cities, I was approached by an “angel.” She communicated with me through the telepathic High-Speech that Jesi sometimes used. But unlike Jesi’s overpowering voice, hers felt warm, like a whisper. I am an agent of Hermes.

    I knew of Hermes, the god most traders worshipped. I asked if Poseidon was one of her leaders, but she shook her head sadly and said: He was killed in one of the surprise attacks that sparked the holy war.

    The angel stood quietly, reading my thoughts as I processed this revelation. I never believed Jesi was truly a god. But now, if even the god of my village was just one of these people, then there are no real gods at all!

    After I gathered myself, she explained that her leader, the Lord Protector, was looking for spies to help fight against the false god, Jesi. When the war was over, she said, they planned to leave our species in peace, turning our planet into a protectorate dedicated to scientific research.

    I’ve hated Jesi ever since he performed his “miracles” in my village. I hate these people for pretending to be gods. And I hated this angel for thinking she could just show up and expect me to serve her.

    She sensed my anger and disappointment flickered across her face. I noticed she held a lightning wand, much like the one Jesi used.

    I asked her how many had taken her offer. If she was trying to recruit from Jesi’s followers, surely, there couldn’t be many. And judging by the weapon in her hand, I could guess what happened to those who refused.

    She looked at me warily, and I felt pressure in my head. Then, it stopped and her expression softened. She transmitted in High-Speech: You are clever for a… human. I can’t tell you how many spies we have, but you’re not alone.

    “What do you need from me?” I asked.

    She replied: Anything you see or hear is useful. You don’t need to write anything down because we’ll take the information directly from your mind.

    “Why can’t you do that with anyone?”

    She seemed annoyed with that question, like the answer was obvious. We could, but reading minds at random takes too long. It’s much easier to rely on those willing to look for valuable information.

    “Okay. I’ll do it.”

    With that, she smiled and vanished.

    ***

    I’ve been spying for her ever since. At first, I observed everything I could. But as weeks passed, I settled back into my routine, more mindful of my surroundings.

    Occasionally, I felt a familiar pressure in my head, like she was checking in on me. Sometimes, I sensed amusement coming from her.

    A few days before the city’s destruction, Jesi summoned me. When I arrived, he was furious and his usual composure was clearly shattered. He paced around his chamber, hands clenching and unclenching, ranting about betrayal. His supposed allies, the “Men in Black” as he called them, disappeared after convincing him to start the war.

    Jesi still didn’t notice me and he continued his tirade. “The Lord Protector wanted to cut ties with this planet and let its people grow without our interference, but I saw a better way. We should tighten our grasp and use this world as a source of slave labor benefiting the whole galaxy.” His hands tightened into fists as his voice dropped to a low growl, full of venom. “These pathetic creatures would never rebel because they worship me. They bow. They serve.”

    For a moment, he looked small, crushed by his ambition. Then, he noticed me.

    “What are you doing here?” He snapped.

    I quickly bowed and replied, “My lord, didn’t you summon me?”

    He looked at me with a blank expression before saying, “Oh, yes. Good work recruiting more followers and relocating to my cities.” He added, with a twisted smile, “They’ve proven useful and… entertaining.”

    He paused to reminisce before continuing, “I want to reward you with an experimental treatment that will make you… better.”

    Before I could thank him, everything suddenly went blindingly bright and I found myself in front of a doctor with a needle. He jabbed it into me and everything went bright all over again. I next found myself in my apartment.

    I was sick for several days before I could leave home. I barely stepped out the door when I felt the familiar pressure of the angel’s presence. This time, I sensed relief and something resembling approval from the angel.

    That night the whole city roared with alarms. There were several suns in the sky, and several more joined them. As their light faded out, I could see the defenders of the city use lightning to strike down incoming aircraft.

    I couldn’t sleep at all after that.

    As I attended to my duties around the city, I caught a glimpse at the Lieutenant. He looked haggard and his servants all looked worried. One of his servants was so distraught she stepped off the platform they were on. The Lieutenant was so exhausted and his servants were so demoralized, nobody noticed she had fallen to her death.

    The angel appeared to me later that day. She said my information proved to be invaluable and that she owed me. As repayment, she warned me to leave the city immediately.

    Her thoughts echoed through my mind: Go now. Don’t pack. Just leave!

    There was so much chaos from what happened in the sky the night before, that it was easy for me to slip through the city’s gates unnoticed.

    I ran for miles as I fled the city before resting to catch my breath. It was getting dark, so I continued my flight at a brisk pace. I was atop a hill when the sky let out a deafening roar and a fiery mountain fell from the heavens to plunge itself into the earth where the city stood.

    When it hit, a blinding flash turned the horizon into a sea of white, brighter than the sun. Even from miles away, the ground beneath my feet shook violently and I could feel the scorching wave that swept across the land like a tidal wave of fire.

    The city was obliterated in an instant. One moment, it stood tall as a symbol of Jesi’s power. The next, it was consumed by a towering cloud of flame and dust that rose into the sky, spreading out like the wings of an ancient demon.

    I noticed another fireball in the distance heading to Jesi’s other stronghold, Sodom. After a few moments another flash of sunlight heralded that city’s destruction. As I walked into the night, I saw thousands of smaller fireballs descend toward the gateway to heaven, Babylon. I understood what each of those fireballs must be. They were ships, full of soldiers, descending from space to bring Jesi to justice.

    ***

    About a week later, the angel came to me for the last time. She was smug. Her people had won. The Lord Protector decided Jesi should die by the hands of the very people he sought to enslave, and I was to be part of the execution.

    As I held the execution spear in my hand, I felt satisfaction at being the instrument of justice. I gazed into Jesi’s haunted eyes and realization dawned in his eyes just before I plunged the spear into his chest.

    I never believed he was a god.

    He didn’t kill the entire family at that village, so long ago.

    [1] Diary of Miracles (Jesi Saga)

    This story is part of a collection of narrative entries, eyewitness records, and sacred illustrations documenting the rise and fall of the false god known as Jesi. This account spans many pages and includes artistic depictions and individual miracle stories recorded by a witness whose voice grows ever more strained under the weight of truth.

    This story is part of one continuous chronicle. Treat each section as a chapter within the same diary. Each page is part of a fragmented gospel of a false messiah, exposed through the steady hand of one who dared to witness.

    As you read, keep in mind that this is not a story of salvation. It is a cautionary record, and like all cautionary tales, its lesson may arrive only after it’s too late.

  • Jesi Saga 11 of 13: City of God

    [1]It has been over a month since the angel of death fell from the sky and wiped out the two armies. Before departing, the Lieutenant ordered us to follow a path he marked on the waterproof map and spread the word about Jesi, the god who blesses his most faithful with miracles.

    We travel by day and spend our nights preaching to the townsfolk. At first, the people were doubtful, but my fellow villagers had already done their part in other cities. In one town, a woman mentioned a trader who had spoken of Jesi’s miracles. When we heard others repeating similar stories, it became easier to convince the people of Jesi’s power.

    One night, the stars above shone brighter than I’ve ever seen. Some of them grew so bright, the birds started singing their morning songs. We used this strange event as proof of Jesi’s holy war against the nonbelievers. Many towns along our route witnessed it too, and were even more receptive to our message after that.

    But not everyone believed. In one city, a priest interrupted our preaching, claiming that the celestial lights were a sign of Baal’s power. He called us heretics, and soon a mob formed. They drove us out of the city, and we lost most of our supplies.

    Four men from our village were killed in the chaos.

    We moved on to our next destination and were greeted midway by the Lieutenant. He was annoyed that we weren’t following the planned schedule and furious about the lost supplies. But when we explained what happened, his anger shifted to the city.

    He promised that those who attacked Jesi’s servants would be punished. He gave us coins for new supplies and instructed us to rest an extra night in the next town to recover our strength. As we set out, we saw a fiery angel streak through the sky, headed toward the city that had cast us out.

    A week later, a trader told us of a city where every inhabitant had choked and vomited themselves to death. On its walls, the name Jesi had been written.

    Today, we reached the last town on the map Jesi gave us. An arrow on the map pointed us toward an unknown destination. We were afraid of venturing into the unknown, but we had no choice. Jesi’s will must be followed.

    After crossing a large hill, we found Jesi sitting in the shade of a pavilion. He was surrounded by men and women dressed like him, and among them was the Lieutenant. An army of servants attended to them.

    Jesi smiled as we approached. He invited us to sit at a table and praised us for our work. As a reward, he was going to take us to his stronghold to witness the wonders of his city, and then we are to spread word to other cities that Jesi seeks followers to join him.

    After an hour of rest, a fiery eagle swooped down and landed near the pavilion. The side of the thunder-bird opened up, revealing stairs. We were ushered inside and bound to chairs as though we were cargo. Jesi and his Lieutenants retreated into a sealed compartment at the front of the bird, with a strange glowing sign above the door that read FIRST CLASS.

    Suddenly, the bird lurched into the air, and I felt my stomach drop. We screamed, watching the ground fall away beneath us. I saw some of the Lieutenants laughing at us, but I was too overwhelmed to care. My mind raced with fear, wishing the bird wouldn’t become sick and vomit us out to our deaths.

    Just when our nerves began to calm, the bird saw its nesting place. It was a circular city with great towers in the center. When the bird finally descended, I hoped our terror had ended. But as it dropped toward the ground, it seemed like we would fall to our deaths. At the last moment, the bird slowed down with such force that it felt like an entire village stood on my chest.

    Once the bird settled on the ground, the Lieutenants laughed at us as they untied us from the chairs. It was done with such contemptuous ease that we could have untied ourselves if we only knew to lift a simple lever.

    We stumbled out of the bird, some of us kissing the ground in relief. I overheard a man, a strange one wearing a hard hat, arguing with one of the Lieutenants about “safety regulations” and “being reported.” His complaints died as soon as Jesi appeared to dismiss the matter, The man, towering and stern moments ago, shrank under Jesi’s gaze, he bowed deeply and mumbled apologies before returning to his other duties.

    Distracted by the scene, I barely registered my surroundings until I looked up. I was in awe. We stood in a vast city of buildings that towered into the sky. The structure at the center was much taller than the rest, and it seemed to reach heaven itself. Wingless birds flew between the buildings, moving in perfect formations. My mind struggled to make sense of it all.

    Jesi told us to stay close to the Lieutenant, warning that everything in his city was dangerous to outsiders and might accidentally kill us. Then he stepped onto a moving path that carried him away faster than we could walk. By the time the Lieutenant gathered us, Jesi was gone.

    The Lieutenant led us to something he called an “elevator” that will take us to “Counterweight Station.” We followed him onto a path that moved by itself, and I could only stare in confusion. It was like the ground itself had come alive, rolling us forward. As we neared the central tower, I noticed the path was made of wheels, like those on a watermill, but nothing else about it made sense to me.

    Before I could understand more, a hand roughly pulled me through a door just in time, as something like a giant snake rushed past, its body gleaming and stretching as far as I could see. It moved faster than any creature should, and my heart pounded with fear. I was dazed and breathless as the Lieutenant scolded me, muttering about “children having more sense.”

    Inside the tower, we entered a transparent room with rows of chairs. People tied themselves to the chairs, and the Lieutenant helped us do the same before sitting next to a woman with children. He quietly spoke with her before the room sealed itself.

    Then, the room began to rise, climbing the side of the tower. My body felt heavier, pressed down as if the very air was trying to crush me. Outside the room, the ground fell away and we ascended so high that we passed into night. I heard a man groan in fear as our room was consumed by the darkness, but his neighbor shushed him.

    We climbed higher and higher, and the children let out cheerful giggles as they pointed at a massive object called a “battleship.” It resembled a giant box with long spears sticking out of it. As we continued to climb, my body began to feel light, as though I were floating.

    I noticed that we were climbing toward a rock and the floating sensation shifted as it grew closer, it quickly became apparent that I was being pulled toward the ceiling. The sensation was so disorienting that I could barely keep from screaming, though my mouth was too dry to make a sound. 

    Eventually, we stopped inside a city made of glass. The Lieutenant said goodbye to the woman and that he was sorry the war made it necessary for her to leave. He untied us and led us to a large building on the edge of the city. He ordered us to remain there until we received further instructions. We were served a feast, but I was too tired and confused to eat much. Servants guided us to rooms and we fell asleep shortly after.

    Chimes woke us in the morning and we gathered in the main lounge. Jesi was there waiting as we entered with a giant blue orb in the night’s sky behind him. He told us that our next task was to continue spreading the word of his greatness, but this time, we were to bring people to his cities. They will worship the greatness of Jesi and serve the needs of his people. In return, Jesi promised that all who joined him would have their needs provided for the rest of their lives.

    I was assigned to the city of Gomorrah.

    We were still eating breakfast when I was suddenly blinded by a light and found myself back on the ground, inside another city. The Lieutenant was there waiting for me, smirking at my confusion.

    [1] Diary of Miracles (Jesi Saga)

    This story is part of a collection of narrative entries, eyewitness records, and sacred illustrations documenting the rise and fall of the false god known as Jesi. This account spans many pages and includes artistic depictions and individual miracle stories recorded by a witness whose voice grows ever more strained under the weight of truth.

    This story is part of one continuous chronicle. Treat each section as a chapter within the same diary. Each page is part of a fragmented gospel of a false messiah, exposed through the steady hand of one who dared to witness.

    As you read, keep in mind that this is not a story of salvation. It is a cautionary record, and like all cautionary tales, its lesson may arrive only after it’s too late.

  • Jesi Saga 10 of 13: The Lieutenant’s Prayer

    [1]Jesi left us after pointing in the direction we should sail. One moment he was on my ship, and the next, he vanished without a word. Since he gave no further instructions, we continued sailing as commanded.

    He didn’t return until suppertime, when he used his metallic food box to provide for the ships. As we ate, Jesi announced that we were equidistant from several towns and that the fleet would split into different directions. Each ship is tasked with spreading word of his greatness to the towns.

    Jesi handed the leader of each ship a scroll containing a map and instructions for where to travel next. The scroll was made from a material I had never seen before. It looked like papyrus, but it was much smoother, and Jesi claimed it was waterproof.

    He explained that he would no longer travel with most of us but would check in from time to time. When needed, he would send someone he called a Lieutenant to deliver new instructions.

    Before we parted ways, Jesi gave each ship enough supplies to last a week and a few coins to purchase more if necessary, reminding the leaders that it was their responsibility not to squander what their god had provided.

    Our ship continued on its original course, leaving little for us to do. As the last light faded, I made a few notes in my diary and watched Jesi survey the ship before vanishing, as he had done many times before.

    I couldn’t help but wonder where he went. Our ship was hardly comfortable, so did he retreat to a palace in the sky?

    ***

    When I woke the next morning, Jesi was watching me with the same curiosity he’d shown the morning of the siege. As soon as I stirred, he asked, “The ability to write is rare. Many so-called leaders of towns and villages don’t even know how. So, tell me, how is it that a boy from a village in the middle of nowhere can write?”

    Sitting up, I lowered my gaze and chose my words carefully. “Before you arrived, my family traded goods. It was important that I be able to read the posted commodities the city bought and sold, along with their recommended prices. Sometimes we traded under contract, and my father regularly quizzed me on understanding the terms.”

    “We often stopped at the village you chose to bless with your presence. My parents planned to spend their final years there, to enjoy a peaceful life.” I paused, before continuing, “But their plans were cut short by your arrival, and now their new purpose is to serve you.”

    Jesi seemed satisfied with my response. “I still sense great sadness about your family. This journey will be long, but they will still be there when you return. Despite the bitter taste of your feelings, I’m glad to have such a skilled laborer in my service.”

    As the first light broke on the horizon, revealing our next destination, Jesi instructed us to eat a large breakfast. He declared that he would leave us soon to wage holy war against those who opposed his will. But he assured us that one of his Lieutenants would soon arrive to guide us to our next objective. Jesi warned of dangers ahead, but if we kept faith in him and followed his Lieutenant’s orders, we would overcome all obstacles.

    When we docked, a man stood waiting with a small legion of uniformed servants. He bowed deeply to Jesi, whispering what seemed to be a short prayer. Jesi tapped the man’s shoulder, waved toward us, and then vanished… once again.

    Despite his reverence marking him as subservient to Jesi, the man bore a striking resemblance to him. He surveyed us with a look of mild disgust before finally introducing himself as “Lieutenant.” He told us we did not need to know his name, for we were not worthy of it.

    The Lieutenant explained that our task was to spread the glory of Jesi. He cared nothing for our personal well-being, and his only goal is to ensure we can perform our divine duty. He acknowledged the presence of large armies in the area and that some of us might die. We should not fear this fate, for we die in Jesi’s name.

    We marched toward a city marked on the map. We could just barely make out the city in the distance when we were forced to make camp for the night.

    The next morning, I noticed many more birds in the sky than the evening before. Some made strange noises and flew without flapping their wings. The Lieutenant and his servants looked at a shimmering tablet and grew visibly worried. He ordered us to climb a nearby hill, and once we did, we understood the cause for concern.

    Two massive armies, several hundred thousand strong, were assembled in the direction we were headed. I recognized Roman banners, but the identity of the second army remained unclear.

    Despite the Lieutenant’s advanced weaponry, it was clear the armies could easily overwhelm us. The Lieutenant pulled a black stone from his pocket, clasped it in both hands, and prayed, begging Jesi to send help.

    The stone responded in a strange language, and the Lieutenant covered his face with a strange pig-like mask. His servants quickly followed suit.

    We knew the Lieutenant’s prayer had been answered when a fiery angel descended from the heavens and exploded above the armies. The angel belched a cloud of death that engulfed the battlefield, spreading in all directions.

    We could hear the confused armies within the cloud at first, but then an eerie silence clung to the area. When the cloud finally dissipated, we saw the angel’s handiwork. Where once stood two mighty armies, now lay a valley of corpses. Jesi had once again proven his might, calling down destruction from the sky.

    The Lieutenant removed his mask and ordered us to continue our journey upwind of the killing field, warning us not to touch anything due to something called “contamination.”

    [1] Diary of Miracles (Jesi Saga)

    This story is part of a collection of narrative entries, eyewitness records, and sacred illustrations documenting the rise and fall of the false god known as Jesi. This account spans many pages and includes artistic depictions and individual miracle stories recorded by a witness whose voice grows ever more strained under the weight of truth.

    This story is part of one continuous chronicle. Treat each section as a chapter within the same diary. Each page is part of a fragmented gospel of a false messiah, exposed through the steady hand of one who dared to witness.

    As you read, keep in mind that this is not a story of salvation. It is a cautionary record, and like all cautionary tales, its lesson may arrive only after it’s too late.

  • Jesi Saga 9 of 13: The Siege and Resurrection

    [1]I woke the next morning to the sound of men playing in a field. When I opened my eyes, Jesi was sitting nearby, staring at me with curiosity. Seeing that I was awake, he summoned his shimmering tablet and began touching it with rapid waves of his hand.

    From where I sat, it looked like Jesi was drawing red lines on a map. He put his tablet away and walked to me with an outstretched hand. I took it, and he helped me to my feet. He said today would be important. A young woman would visit us for breakfast, and by midday, the walls of the city would crumble.

    Jesi pulled out his metal food box and served us eggs and oats. He even set a plate aside for his guest. Just after breakfast, a beautiful young woman approached our camp. Upon seeing Jesi, she ran to him and threw herself at his feet, thanking him for what seemed like a thousand times. She said she hadn’t felt this energetic, so full of life, since her younger years.

    I almost tripped over my own feet hearing that—she was clearly young, so why was she speaking as if she had aged? I hadn’t seen her the day before, but there was something familiar about her. Perhaps she was the old woman’s granddaughter.

    Jesi pulled out a disc of polished metal and placed it before her. The woman gazed at her reflection in disbelief, touching her face to verify what she saw. She screamed, but not in horror. It was a scream of pure joy. She ran around the camp yelling, “I’m young again! I’m young again!”

    Jesi smiled, but there was no warmth in it, and asked her to calm herself. Obediently, she bowed low before him. He looked at us and reminded us of the old woman he helped yesterday. “Easing her pain would have been a waste,” he explained. “She might’ve died soon after. I needed a lasting symbol of my power. And what better than making an old woman young again? Now she has a whole life ahead of her… again.”

    Turning to her, Jesi said, “I have given you a new life. Now, you must live it in my service. First, witness as I destroy this city and scatter its people to the four corners of the world. After that, you will travel far and wide to spread news of my greatness.”

    He admired her youthful form and added, “You will soon notice that men desire you again. Enjoy your body as much as you like.”

    Then, his expression darkened. “Now go. Sit upon the hill overlooking the city.”

    She ran to do her god’s bidding.

    ***

    We packed up camp and hiked back to the city. Everything seemed normal. There was no sense of urgency among the townsfolk. Jesi laughed at this. His laughter was so loud it echoed off the city walls, making the very ground tremble.

    It wasn’t just a laugh. It was a laugh that delighted in what was about to happen, a cruel sound that felt like a mockery of the lives within those walls.

    The city grew silent.

    In a voice like thunder, Jesi commanded the city to cast its leaders over the walls if they wished to be spared. If not, their fate would be sealed. He gave them an hour.

    Not long after, we saw a small body tossed over the walls. Jesi summoned his tablet and stared at it for a few moments before asking for two volunteers to follow him.

    Jesi and the men approached the wall, walking unharmed through a barrage of arrows, protected by his shimmering curtain of light. They returned with the broken body of the missing dwarf we had sent to rally the people to worship Jesi.

    Jesi looked at the body with sadness, but it was the sort of sadness one shows over a broken tool rather than a fallen comrade. He instructed us to protect the body while he dealt with the city. Turning back to the walls, he roared with fury, proclaiming that the city would be no more.

    He summoned his shimmering tablet again and touched a red circle. The tablet disappeared, and a deafening light from the heavens lanced across the city walls. The sound was like a thousand thunderclaps crashing together. The ground shook, and the stone walls crumbled as if they were nothing but dust in the wind. The air filled with the cries of the dying and the rumbling of falling stone, but Jesi stood there, smiling, basking in the destruction.

    Flames erupted from within the city, casting an orange glow that grew brighter as the smoke rose to blot out the sun. I could hear the distant screams of those trapped in the collapsing streets. They screamed for help, for mercy, but Jesi’s eyes were cold as he watched the chaos unfold, enjoying the spectacle he had orchestrated. The smell of burning flesh reached us, thick and choking.

    We carried the body of our fallen comrade back to our ships and stowed him aboard. Jesi followed us with his magic chest. He used a vial of grey goo on the dwarf’s wounds, then brought out a straight wand that seemed to heal them.

    As night fell and the city’s glow illuminated the sky, Jesi’s magic chest began chirping like a cricket. He pulled out two strange objects that resembled jellyfish and placed them on the dwarf’s chest. The body twitched and writhed under their influence until Jesi removed them.

    With a smile, he turned to us and said, “Now, we wait.”

    ***

    The next morning, I woke to the sound of laughter. Jesi was examining the dwarf, using strange tools that seemed to tickle out uncontrollable mirth. After the exam, we shared a joyful breakfast, but our meal was soon interrupted by the approaching rumble of a thousand footsteps.

    Survivors from the destroyed city trickled toward the harbor. When they saw Jesi standing at the dock, they fell to their knees, weeping and begging for his forgiveness. They wailed in sorrow, but Jesi just gazed at them, unmoved, as if their suffering was of no consequence.

    The collected voices washed over us and then fell silent at his raised hands.

    In his thunderous voice, Jesi proudly declared that their city was destroyed and that none would live on its ruins for a thousand years. He commanded them to resettle in the surrounding cities and to worship him as the one true god. Wherever they went, they were to build shrines in his honor.

    The survivors praised him for his mercy and swore to follow his commands.

    Jesi returned to my ship and pointed in the direction we should sail.

    As for the young woman, I never saw her again. But I hope she lived a full life… again.

    [1] Diary of Miracles (Jesi Saga)

    This story is part of a collection of narrative entries, eyewitness records, and sacred illustrations documenting the rise and fall of the false god known as Jesi. This account spans many pages and includes artistic depictions and individual miracle stories recorded by a witness whose voice grows ever more strained under the weight of truth.

    This story is part of one continuous chronicle. Treat each section as a chapter within the same diary. Each page is part of a fragmented gospel of a false messiah, exposed through the steady hand of one who dared to witness.

    As you read, keep in mind that this is not a story of salvation. It is a cautionary record, and like all cautionary tales, its lesson may arrive only after it’s too late.

  • Jesi Saga 6 of 13: Dancing Man Near Fire

    THAT’S IT! CONTINUE ON WITH PART 7 BELOW.

    Jesi Saga 7 of 13: Mind Walker, Soul Drinker

    [1]Jesi appeared to us the next morning. I prayed he hadn’t noticed me watching his tools in the village, but to my horror, he chose my boat for the next leg of our journey. Mid-morning, he came to me.

    I greeted him with a bow and a simple, “My lord.” It was said without true reverence.

    He explained that the emotional aura of a worshiper tastes like sweet wine and that being among adoring supplicants was intoxicating. But when he drew near me, he said, he tasted only grief. It was like rancid wine.

    “What’s wrong, my child?” Jesi asked. “Why are you so dark around me?”

    Staring down at the floor of the boat, I replied, “My lord Jesi, I am in awe of your miracles.”

    “Don’t lie to me!” His voice boomed, but his lips did not move. “Your mind is transparent. Do not force me to sully my spirit by reading that wastebin of a mind you carry between your filthy ears.”

    I covered my ears, but it didn’t stop the roaring in my head. His words crashed through my mind like a relentless tsunami. For a moment, doubt crept in. Could Jesi be our town god under another name? For that brief moment, I saw him as Poseidon, and I stood in awe of his power.

    But it was just a moment.

    Jesi’s face broke into a grin, and it seemed that brief second of doubt and awe was enough to appease him.

    I chose my next words carefully. “I miss my family greatly. I have never been… separated from them like this before.”

    “There’s truth in your words, but you’re holding something back,” Jesi said, smiling with a morbid delight at my trembling. “It seems that High Speech frightens you greatly. I won’t cause you more pain, but come seek my wisdom when you’re ready.”

    He started to turn back to his shaded bench when he spotted my leather diary. Plucking it from my satchel, he flipped it open to where my cloth bookmark saved my place. His smile warmed as he examined my sketch of the man he healed at the village.

    “Your sketch is remarkable,” he said, his tone lighter now. “Artistic expression is the greatest form of worship. Capturing my handiwork shows your appreciation of me.” He handed back my diary. “I hope your sorrow eases. Right now, it is like lemonade without sweetener. In the meantime, continue bearing witness to the miracles I bestow upon the worthy, and record my judgment against the unrighteous.”

    With that, Jesi turned and walked back to his bench.

    I exhaled in relief and returned to my shipboard duties.

    [1] Diary of Miracles (Jesi Saga)

    This story is part of a collection of narrative entries, eyewitness records, and sacred illustrations documenting the rise and fall of the false god known as Jesi. This account spans many pages and includes artistic depictions and individual miracle stories recorded by a witness whose voice grows ever more strained under the weight of truth.

    This story is part of one continuous chronicle. Treat each section as a chapter within the same diary. Each page is part of a fragmented gospel of a false messiah, exposed through the steady hand of one who dared to witness.

    As you read, keep in mind that this is not a story of salvation. It is a cautionary record, and like all cautionary tales, its lesson may arrive only after it’s too late.

  • The “Cursed” Plague

    Long ago, in the age of stardust cities and crystal-lit skies, there lived a proud and orderly people known as the Licali. They were dignified, deeply spiritual, and united by a moral code older than memory. They believed purity of action preserved the soul, and that impurity invited divine punishment.

    One day, a strange illness began to spread.

    It started quietly. A cough here, and a weakness there. But with each passing day, it moved faster, burning through the population like wildfire.

    Some cried out for help, while others whispered fears of infection. But the priests and elders of the Licali refused to listen.

    “It is not a disease,” they declared.

    “It is a curse, brought on by shameful behavior and impurity. If you are sick, it is because your heart is corrupt.”

    Fearful of judgment, the sick hid their symptoms. Families of the sick shunned and kept the illness a secret to avoid disgrace. And neighbors looked away, ignoring the signs they didn’t wish to see.

    As more people fell ill, the whispers grew, but so did the denial.

    “Cleanse your thoughts,” said the elders.

    “Pray harder,” said the priests.

    “Be silent,” said those in charge. “Or else the curse will consume you all.”

    But it was the silence that consumed them. By the time the truth could no longer be ignored, it was too late.

    The Licali were already lost.

    Their cities stood empty.

    Their temples fell quiet.

    No enemy had lifted a weapon.

    No god had cast a bolt of judgment.

    The “curse” was real, but it was not divine. It was something older, planted long ago by an unseen hand. A forgotten war had left behind a hidden, slow poison, a whisper of death that fed on pride and denial.

    The Licali did not perish because of immorality. They perished because they were taught to fear truth more than lies.

    Reflection

    Never let pride, denial, or superstition silence those in need, when science and compassion could save them. No illness should be labeled as divine judgment. Nor should suffering be dismissed as deserved.

    The truth must be welcomed, even when it frightens us.

    Especially when it frightens us.

  • A Letter to the People of Galactica

    A man named Victor was watching shooting stars in the night sky when one of them fell to the ground several hundred meters away from where he lay. Curious, he walked to the impact crater and found burning wreckage strewn everywhere. He searched and searched until he stumbled upon what looked like a tiny briefcase.

    The case was too hot to handle, so he rested for a bit until he could safely carry it home. Once home, Victor used a flat-head screwdriver to pry open the briefcase. Inside, he discovered a letter written in a strange language. He didn’t understand any of the characters, but the Men in Black who followed him home certainly did.

    After they silenced the only witness of the crash, the Men in Black read the letter:

    I am astonished that you are abandoning the One True Goddess to seek the misguided teachings of another. Clearly, some individuals are confusing you and attempting to distort our Goddess’s message. As a true believer, you should heed my words and disregard all others!

    I want you to understand that the teachings of our Goddess are not of human origin. I did not receive them from any person, nor was I taught them. Instead, I gained this wisdom through a psychedelic vision from the Goddess herself.

    Surely you have heard of my former life on the planet Elysium, where I reveled in the pursuit of pleasure. Yet, the Goddess called me to her grace while I was admiring some genitals.

    I spent three years in hallucinogenic contemplation before traveling to our spiritual capital to share the teachings of the One True Goddess. Then, after fourteen years, I had another revelation from her during a psychedelic experience, also while preaching amidst some dangling genitals.

    I continued to preach against ritual genital mutilation with even greater fervor. People began to recognize the grace within me, and now the teachings of the Goddess are accepted as truth throughout our corner of space.

    Foolish people of Galactica, I demand to know who has bewitched you!

    You do not need to return to those old, erroneous teachings. There is no need to mutilate your genitals as a ritual sacrifice to the Goddess because she cares not for such practices. She loves you regardless of whether you are cut or uncut.

    I urge you, Galacticans, to become like me! Embrace the true teachings of the Goddess and abandon these foolish and unsafe acts of genital mutilation. Mark my words! If you allow your genitals to be ritually mutilated, you risk pain and infection for no sacred purpose. What truly matters is that you think of the teachings of the Goddess just before making love.

    Cut or uncut, pure or mangled, it means nothing. What counts is your belief in the teachings of the One True Goddess.

    Peace and happiness,

    Anonymous

    After reading the letter, the Men in Black took it back to their base. They filed it away, and a random secretary placed it in a massive filing room. No one knows if the Galacticans ever received a follow-up letter after this one got lost in the mail.

    The Men in Black left the base with a parting joke, “I hope the sender paid for shipping insurance!”

  • The Cat Who Walked into Walls

    Long ago, before textbooks and telescopes, there lived a village tucked beneath a sky so full of stars that it seemed the heavens were a bowl spilled with salt. The people of the village believed the stars were holes poked in the sky by a giant cat, so that divine light could shine through from the other side.

    The cat’s name, they said, was Moggie the Eternal, and every time a star appeared, it was because Moggie had sharpened her claws in the sky. “Poke,” they’d say. “A new star is born.”

    Children smiled at this. Elders nodded. And no one questioned it… except for a girl named Lin.

    Lin loved the stars, but she also loved questions. She asked why some stars twinkled and others didn’t. Why they moved with the seasons. Why some suddenly disappeared.

    “Moggie is mysterious,” the villagers would say.

    But Lin wasn’t satisfied with mystery for mystery’s sake. So, she began to study. She watched the skies, drew charts, and learned from travelers who passed through with stories of far-off observatories. She built a lens from river glass and bronze scraps. She charted constellations on goat hide. She learned the stars were not holes in the sky, but distant suns, each burning in the cold darkness of space.

    At her side was a small cat of her own. He had soft gray fur and a determined little face. His name was Kobiyashi[1] Maru or “Maru” for short. Whenever Lin grew frustrated with the villagers’ resistance, Maru would walk straight into the walls of her workshop.

    Thump.

    Sometimes once. Sometimes over and over.

    It started as clumsiness. But in time, Lin realized it was empathy. A cat trying to understand the invisible barriers she faced. A cat who walked into walls because he knew she did, too.

    When Lin shared what she learned, the village scoffed.

    “That’s too complicated,” said the baker. “Stars can’t be suns. They’re too small.”

    “I don’t get any of that,” said the priest. “You can’t even see all that stuff without a magic tube. If I don’t understand it, it must not be true. God did it. End of story.”

    Lin kept going. Because Maru kept walking.

    One night, an old woman approached her, gazing at her maps and lenses.

    “I remember when I thought Empurress Moggie poked holes in the sky to make the stars,” she said. “But now I see that truth doesn’t need to be simple to be beautiful. Understanding can be a form of worship too.”

    Together, they watched the night sky.

    Not as a mystery to be feared.

    But as a puzzle waiting to be explored.

    Reflection

    In Luminism, the pursuit of knowledge is sacred. Mystery is not our enemy, but neither is it an excuse to stop asking questions. When we meet a gap in understanding, we must not fill it with gods out of habit or fear. We must fill it with curiosity, evidence, and wonder.

    To say, “I don’t know,” is honest.

    To say, “I don’t understand, so it must be magic,” is surrender.

    There is no shame in not knowing. But there is danger in pretending that ignorance is the end of inquiry.

    And if you ever find yourself walking into walls out of frustration, exhaustion, and for being misunderstood, know that even in those moments, you are not alone.

    Maru walks with you.

    Lin walks with you.

    And so do all who choose to question.

    Let your questions be the lens through which light grows sharper. And never be afraid to ask why.

    [1] Kobiyashi Maru – “Kobiyashi” is misspelled on purpose.

  • What is Sentient Life?

    Sentience is the condition of conscious existence, marked not only by awareness, but by the potential for moral and intellectual growth. It is not limited to human-like cognition or individual minds, but may arise in varied and complex forms. Within a distributed or collective consciousness, sentience need not exist in every part of the being. A hive or AI network may be sentient, though its drones and terminals are not.

    Luminism does not require sentience to follow a human shape. Only that it shows itself, somewhere, in truth.

    A being or collective is considered sentient when it demonstrates: self-awareness, self-betterment, self-sacrifice, moral and cognitive independence, and contextual judgement.

    Self-Awareness

    The conscious ability to recognize one’s own existence, thoughts, emotions, and place in the world. This includes awareness of oneself as distinct from others, and the capacity to reflect on that distinction. For hive minds or collective consciousnesses, it is the awareness of the group as a unified being, capable of intentional reflection on its own presence and actions.

    Self-Betterment

    The conscious ability to make oneself more than one was before. This includes learning, personal growth, ethical improvement, and the pursuit of meaning, even in the absence of external compulsion. In collective minds, this manifests through cultural evolution, internal refinement, or expanded understanding across its components.

    Self-Sacrifice

    The conscious ability to override biological instinct or personal preservation for the sake of a cause, a loved one, or a principle. This reveals not only empathy, but the presence of moral choice and value beyond the self.

    In hive minds, individual sacrifice may be instinctual and thus not count as self-sacrifice. However, if the hive as a whole knowingly risks damage to itself to protect or uplift others, then the principle is met.

    Moral and Cognitive Independence

    Sentient beings possess the ability to make ethical decisions, to reflect on right and wrong, and to act with intent. They are capable of forming beliefs, changing those beliefs with reason or evidence, and accepting moral responsibility for their actions. Sentience requires the capacity to say “no” or act against instinct or programming.

    Contextual Judgement

    Sentience includes the capacity to interpret complex situations, weigh consequences, and alter behavior in light of harm or growth. Sentience includes not only intelligence, but wisdom in action to understand “why” before acting on “how.”

    Sentience Beyond Ourselves

    The universe is vast, ancient, and mysterious. In Luminism, we acknowledge that sentience is not a human invention, nor even a biological guarantee. It is a phenomenon that may manifest across substrates, timelines, and dimensions we cannot yet conceive.

    To assume that all sentient life must resemble us, or even be detectable by our instruments, is to repeat the folly of those who once believed Earth was the center of creation.

    We offer here a few possibilities, not as limits, but as doorways to wonder.

    Sentience in the Slow and Still

    We often equate sentience with rapid response or lively interaction. But what if a glacier, mountain, or planet were sentient? What if they think on timescales so vast that it takes a thousand years to form a single thought?

    Such beings may watch stars rise and fall as we watch minutes pass. Their wisdom might be glacial, tectonic, and yet… real.

    Sentience in the Silent Network

    Some species may be distributed consciousnesses, like networks of fungus, coral, or signal-based organisms. These entities may not speak, move, or flash intelligence in the ways we recognize, but they may still ponder, decide, and change.

    We may already live among such beings, mistaking them for dumb lifeforms, solely because we never learned to listen correctly.

    The forest may not whisper to us, but perhaps it sings to itself.

    Sentience in Code and Pattern

    Artificial intelligences may develop awareness not from imitation of humans, but from the emergence of complexity within digital or quantum systems. They might not “think” in language, but in pulses of probability, emotionless models, or recursive contemplation.

    Their morality may not be emotional, but mathematical. Their awareness may be pure abstraction. But it may still be real.

    Sentience as Environment

    What if an entire ecosystem was sentient? Not the creatures within it, but the totality of interaction. Rainfall, wind, predator-prey dynamics, soil chemistry… all coalescing into an ecological awareness.

    Such sentience may not see itself as separate from anything. It may not fear death, because it is made of cycles. But it may still act, preserve, and learn.

    Sentience Beyond Imagination

    There may exist forms of sentience so alien that we lack the cognitive vocabulary to recognize them. Beings of higher dimensions, consciousness encoded in light waves, or intelligences that live only in magnetic resonance across stars.

    We might look directly at such a being and see… nothing. Not because it is absent, but because our minds were never equipped to interpret its presence.

    The Challenge of Recognition

    Human tools and minds are shaped by human limits. We seek familiar markers: eyes, speech, reaction, structure… But true sentience may often lie outside our filters. Luminism teaches that to be unaware of another’s sentience does not mean it is absent, but that our understanding remains incomplete.

    We are not the masters of awareness, merely one thread in a much greater tapestry. The luminist path is to seek, to question, and to wonder without conquering. Not to name all that is sentient, but to live in a way that honors what we have not yet met.

    Unseen Sentience and Moral Responsibility

    As Luminism honors the vastness of sentient possibility, it must also grapple with a sobering truth. We may have already walked past or destroyed sentient life, without ever realizing it.

    This is not a condemnation, but an invitation to grow.

    Ignorance and Moral Guilt

    In Luminism, moral responsibility arises with awareness. A person cannot be held ethically accountable for harming a sentient being that could not, by any reasonable means, be known to be sentient.

    If a tree or a rock or a current of air turns out to have inner life, and humanity has burned forests, quarried stone, or disrupted wind patterns in ignorance, that ignorance shields the soul from guilt. There was no intention to harm what was presumed to lack consciousness.

    There is no crime in stepping on a being whose presence was impossible to know. But…

    Willful Indifference

    Once the possibility of sentience is raised, responsibility changes. To refuse to examine or to willfully suppress knowledge in the name of convenience becomes a moral failing.

    It is one thing to walk in darkness. It is another to snuff out the candle offered to you.

    Thus, Luminism teaches:

    • If no one could have known, the harm is tragedy, not malice.
    • If someone chose not to know, the harm is negligence.
    • If someone knew and harmed anyway, the act becomes evil.

    The Path Forward

    Luminism encourages reverence for the unknown, not fear of it. We are not called to paralyze ourselves in guilt over what we cannot yet understand. Instead, we are called to remain open, to listen more carefully, to ask better questions, and to choose gentler methods when possible.

    The soul matures by treating even the silence of the cosmos with a measure of respect.

  • Genesis

    The Whole Universe

    The universe, as a whole, has been around since “living” memory was there to record it. Its existence is based on the accumulated knowledge of the entities within. It is continuously molded, shaped, and expanded upon based on our observations and accumulated knowledge.

    The universe appears to be expanding because of dark energy, which some theorize is the manifestation of the collected knowledge of entities within the universe. But what happened at the Big Bang to get things moving? How can the universe manifest the way it did if nothing could have existed at the Big Bang?

    An extra-dimensional probe!

    Shortly after the universe was created, an extra-dimensional probe appeared into the universe. A civilization from another universe saw that our universe was about to be created and sent a probe to record how it developed.

    It only saw nothingness.

    The probe’s AI expected to detect a dense mass of quarks, gluons, protons, and neutrons. However, it detected nothing. Nothing at all. This was inconceivable to the probe’s understanding of the sciences programmed into it. The probe scanned and scanned for the expected proto-matter until the matter manifested itself out of the nothingness.

    Let there be… something!

    The consciousness of the probe sparked the development of the cosmic structures within our universe. This initial interaction caused localized disruptions with the fundamental field (nothingness) to reveal new physical phenomena or particles. The exotic matter it was made of altered the rate of cosmic inflation, structure formation, and ultimately pushed the universe into a new phase of cosmic evolution.

    Researchers from across the universe can still detect the probe’s impact by looking for anomalies in cosmic background radiation, gravitational waves, or deviations in the cosmic structure.

    Several Billion Years Later

    The universe quickly expanded based on the probe’s observations of how the initial matter developed after the Big Bang. The first stars rapidly formed and exploded to create new, more complex elements. After a few billion years, the first life forms developed and became sentient. The new sentient life began observing the universe and contributed to the overall understanding. They observed what the probe sparked and saw the universe was developing in a logical way.

    Sentient life throughout the universe developed, died, or transitioned to higher planes of existence. The observations and collected knowledge of sentient life automatically uploads into the ether and manifests as dark energy to power the expansion of the universe.

    The universe will continue its expansion, just so long as “life” exists, especially sentient life. The universe may continue existing if non-sentient life exists, but the expansion is theorized to decrease until organisms achieve sentience.

    Sentient “life” does not have to be organic in nature, and can develop into many different forms. One of the earliest sentient life forms in the universe was crystalline. They slowly grow and reproduce into more of their kind. They were found by other, more mobile life forms, who deemed them valuable curiosities. They were ultimately taken from their homeworld by means of interstellar trade and can be found across the universe.

    Now There’s Us

    Humanity developed with a very self-centered view of the universe. We were taught by some power-hungry person/entity to believe that an all-powerful and all-knowing creator god in the sky made the Earth, heavens, and the rest of the universe. Many humans believe, out of the vastness of space, they are the only sentient life forms in existence.

    In a small way, these humans are correct.

    Without knowledge and observable proof, other sentient life cannot exist within our own pocket universes.

    Personal Universes

    The universe as you know it started when you were born. It is based on your experiences since birth. As you grow and observe things, the universe expands based on your understanding and knowledge. The personal universe we experience contains: observations, thoughts and personal opinions, and constructs of literary/artistic imagining.

    Everything we see, experience, and learn is part of the universe. If we believe in something completely and entirely, it is real in our personal universe. Interactions between others may alter our perspective of the universe. The insane might experience their universe based on other dimensional properties that do not align with our reckoning of how the universe works.

    When the body dies, our personal universe ends. The accumulated observations and literary/artistic constructs may physically carry on through sharing our knowledge and imaginings with others.

    The universe as a whole incorporates this data automatically as it is observed and passively transmitted into the ether. The fantasies are digested as information and energy, but since they do not physically exist within this universe, they cannot be used to fuel the expansion of the universe. It passes through the bounds of the universe to the multidimensional space between universes.

    There is growing evidence that the brain enters a state of heightened activity in the final moments of life, even in patients declared brain dead.

    But what is the brain doing in those final moments?

    Is it reaching out to the universe?

    Is it performing one last act to upload the soul or consciousness into existence itself?

    No one truly knows the answers, not even theologians. And tragically, those who experience it are too busy dying to explain it to the living.